There is a recognized need for a means to mount a receptacle to the side of a bed so as to permit ready access to a gun. In recent years, there have been increasing numbers of incidents of burglars, rapists and other criminals breaking into homes at night and committing serious and violent crimes. Many have concluded that they must provide for their own personal safety and have acquired guns, handguns or shotguns, which they keep, variously, in dresser or night stand drawers, under mattresses, under pillows, etc. Each of these approaches is fraught with the obvious disadvantage that the protective handgun is not readily available when most needed. Additionally, each of these approaches is also presented with the conspicuous problem of access by unauthorized persons, such as children.
Various U.S. patents have issued in the past which address the need for access to guns in proximity to beds. Goodman U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,449, issued on Sep. 26, 1989 shows a lockable gun safety drawer having a gun drawer slidably engaged within a recessed drawer housing which is attached to the underside of a bed. A bed side bracket is configured so as to be received between the angle iron bed frame member and the bottom edge of the bed's box springs. The drawer housing has a top plate, side panels, back panels, and bottom panels. A holster post is attached to and extends upwardly from the bed side bracket and is adapted to hold a holstered gun in ready position at bed side.
C. Kontorowitz U.S. Pat. No. 1,423,804 issued on Jul. 25, 1922, E. C. Ulm U.S. Pat. No. 2,885,694 issued on May 12, 1959 and Fried et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,854,676 issued on Oct. 7, 1958 disclose various drawers that are suitable for attachment to the underside of a bed. In particular, each of these patents describe various techniques for bracketing the drawer to the bed so as to allow for easy accessibility.
J. McGinley U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,390 issued on Nov. 20, 1990, discloses a safety locker drawer for use on the underside of a chair. This invention shows a slidable drawer which includes suitable brackets for attaching to the underside of the support bars of a chair. A locking arrangement is provided which securely locks the drawer within the support structure.
Each of these above-described patents provides a system which allows for ready accessibility to a gun in times of need. However, they are not particularly addressed to the safety of children within the home. Whenever it is necessary to place a gun in close proximity to a bed, suitable precautions must be taken so as to assure that children do not have access to the gun during the day or when unsupervised. The construction of the gun-containing drawers or cabinets should be such as to provide adequate safeguards for the prevention of access by children. Additionally, the design of such a drawer or cabinet should allow for ease of accessibility. The drawer or cabinet should also be suitable for allowing a means for the secure storing of other items.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a gun storage cabinet which can be easily attached to the underside of a bed frame.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a gun storage cabinet which allows for easy accessibility in times of danger.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a gun storage cabinet which prevents access by children.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a gun storage cabinet which is easy to manufacture, easy to install, and relatively inexpensive.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.